Because of the ever increasing threat of malicious code and individuals who seek to profit from stolen computing resources or information, computing environments are becoming more secure, and, simultaneously, more difficult for average users to set up and access. For example, many modern home networks rely on wireless communication technology, eliminating the need to physically connect each of the computing devices. However, such wireless networks cannot physically limit their reach to ensure that only the intended beneficiaries have access. As a result, a user who wishes to set up a wireless home network faces a daunting task of selecting from among a variety of security mechanisms, many of which require various security keys and passwords, and then ensuring that every device that is to be granted access to this network shares these keys, passwords and mechanisms. Furthermore, to provide a sufficient level of protection, the keys and passwords are often many characters in length, such that, even if the user did not have to memorize them, merely entering them in via manual entry requires a significant amount of time and effort on the part of the user. Should the user make even one error, the key or password will be rejected, and access to the network will be denied.
Even for networks that have been professionally installed, such as corporate wireless networks, each individual user is still required to perfectly enter security information and insure that the security information is not inadvertently changed or deleted. Should the user wish to use another computing device, or should the user accidentally change or delete their security information, the user will be forced to obtain new security information, and then enter it. As a result, many corporations are forced to provide support staff whose task is to ensure that each intended user can properly access the corporation's wireless network.
Furthermore, emerging standards, such as the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) standard, are merging computer networks with more common household appliances, such as audio and video equipment. Consequently, users can be forced to troubleshoot complex security mechanisms even to perform tasks as simple as connecting one audio or video device to another. For example, to enable a UPnP control point, such as a receiver or television to operate a UPnP device, such as a DVD player or video recorder, the user may be forced to properly identify a security code or the like associated with the DVD player or video recorder, and then correctly enter that code when prompted by the receiver or television. Often, the security code is imprinted on the DVD player or video recorder, requiring the user to either physically move the unit until it is in close proximity to the receiver or television, so that the user can read and enter the code, or the user is forced to transcribe, or memorize, the code before entering it into the receiver or television.
To aid users when setting up or accessing wireless networks, installing new UPnP devices, and performing like tasks, automated computer-executable instructions in the form of “wizard” programs have been developed. Such wizards guide the user through a series of steps via simple and understandable commands. Additionally, to avoid burdening the user with various security mechanisms, keys, codes, passwords, and the like, the wizards can be programmed to store and retrieve such information from computer-readable media that the user can transport from one device to another. For example, in setting up a wireless network, a wizard on one computing device can guide the user through the necessary steps, and can even select random passwords and keys of sufficient length, and can then prompt the user to insert portable computer-readable media onto which the wizard can store all of the relevant information. A subsequent wizard at another computing device, wireless access point, or wireless peripheral, can, after the user has transferred the portable computer-readable media to that device, automatically read the information stored thereupon and can automatically configure the device to operate with the user's wireless network. Similarly, simple wizards on UPnP-compliant equipment can simply record the unit's security code so that the user can connect a UPnP device in one room with a UPnP control point in another room by simply transferring the security code via the portable computer-readable media, saving the user the trouble of finding the printed security code, transcribing it, and then entering it properly.
Unfortunately, the most ubiquitous forms of portable computer-readable media, including so called USB “thumb drives”, Compact Flash (CF) cards, Secure Digital (SD) cards, and the like are often used for a variety of purposes and store a variety of information. For example, CF and SD cards are traditionally the native computer-readable medium used by digital cameras and, as such, often contain many photographs. Similarly, USB drives are often used to temporarily store and transport commonly used computer-readable files, such as word processing documents and spreadsheets. Because such portable computer-readable media are used for a variety of tasks, there exists a significant risk that any security codes, keys, passwords, or similar information that has been stored on them could be compromised. For example, USB drives, because of their small size and their frequent use, can be lost or misplaced. Similarly, synchronization programs may inadvertently copy all of the data off of CF and SD cards when all the user intended was to provide a friend or family member with the latest photographs.
Therefore, what is needed is specialized portable computer-readable media that can leverage existing manufacturing techniques and standards, and yet be reserved strictly for use in transporting security information, such as codes, keys, passwords and the like, or other data that may be used by automated wizard software to enable users to conveniently set up and access computing and household devices in a secure manner.